My Knitting Library

This was an early holiday gift from friends. They know me so well! I had paged through the Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook at the bookstore and became engrossed with the back story of all those wonderful fibers. Now I can read it anytime!

Just in time for the holiday break, there is this collection of stories about knitting. If it wasn’t so warm out (you know, Texas) I would kindle a fire in the fireplace and start reading now.

This made me think of other knitting books I’ve collected. There aren’t that many but each one has a purpose – spinning, dyeing, intricate color work, knitting art, and gift ideas.

I also realized I had a few quilting books from prior attempts. Quilting with Japanese Fabrics has photos and instructions for stunning silk quilts. I picked up Hidden in Plain View during a trip to Gettysburg. I found it fascinating how quilt patterns were used as signs on the Underground Railroad.

It’s by Laura Bryant (of Prism Yarns) and Barry Klein (Trendsetter Yarns). It has charts that enable you to start with your own gauge (rather than matching gauge of a pattern), then build your own design around it. There are also patterns in the book, with instructions how to adjust them to your gauge. I find it extremely helpful.

Such great books and recommendations. Two of my favorites are Lynne Barr’s Knitting New Scarves, none of which are boring to knit. And for a great read, check out Larissa Brown’s books knitalong and My Grandmother’s Knitting. She’s a wonderful writer as well as a designer.

Take a look at Knitting in the Nordic Tradition, by Vibeke Lind. It’s an old book (early 70s?), but I’ve used it again and again – old-fashioned patterns that are somehow very elegant and modern. Worth it if only for the multiple methods of decreasing hats and the heelless stocking pattern.

If you have access to a good library, but it isn’t in their collection, ask them to get it for you as an interlibrary loan. That way, you can browse and either find a few patterns you want to copy, or decide to hunt it down online. I really have gotten a lot of use out of it.